


the start of something

by humanveil



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Thorne & Rowling
Genre: Community: hogwarts365, Gen, Hogwarts House Sorting, Next-Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-01
Updated: 2017-09-01
Packaged: 2018-12-22 11:25:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11966379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/humanveil/pseuds/humanveil
Summary: Albus Severus is sorted.





	the start of something

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Hogwarts365’s prompt ‘education’, and also because today would be _19 Years Later_.

“Potter, Albus!”

Immediately, the chattering of the Great Hall fades to silence, and Albus feels the pit of his stomach churn with nerves as he steps forward and takes his seat.

“Another Potter,” comes a voice in his head, and Albus almost jumps. He’d known it would come – had been told all sorts of horrific stories about the Sorting Hat by James – and yet it still surprises him. “Not much like the others, are you? No, no... perhaps...”

The Hat doesn’t finish the thought, and Albus is left staring at darkness, the dusty old fabric shielding the school from view. He can still hear the murmurs, though. Can still feel the stares.

Part of him wants the Hat to shout something immediately, the way James said it had with him, or like it had with Rose and Scorpius. The other part remembers his father’s words, remembers that he can have a say in where he goes is he wants to. That he can _choose_ Gryffindor.

He’s just not sure _if_ he wants to.

“Not this again,” says the Sorting Hat, amused. “There’s nothing scary about Slytherin.”

 _I’m not scared,_ thinks Albus, and he’s not. He’s more worried— worried that it’s not where he’s meant to go. He’s a Potter, after all, and... _I just want to do my best_ , Albus thinks, and the Sorting Hat makes a little _ah_ sound.

“Your best, hm?” it says, and then there’s no more time for Albus to think, because the Hall is filled with a loud shout of _SLYTHERIN,_ and Albus is met with a profound silence as he’s urged off the stool. 

The murmurs start as he stumbles toward the sea of green and silver, and Albus hears the shocked voices of his family, loud enough to be heard over the half-hearted clapping of the Slytherin table.

The only person who looks genuinely happy is Scorpius.

“Don’t worry,” he says as Albus takes his seat.

“Right.”

“We’ll have each other,” Scorpius offers, and Albus looks at him, at his kind smile and hopeful face, and he supposes Scorpius is right. It won’t be _too_ terrible, he thinks. Not if they’re together.

As the sorting continues, Albus smiles.


End file.
